Florence House

A partnership between Avesta Housing and Preble Street, the property was built and is owned and managed by Avesta; Preble Street provides 24-hour staffing and coordinates service provision to all tenants.

CAN YOU IMAGINE

Can you imagine
how it would feel
to a homeless woman
who has spent months
or years sleeping on the streets
or mats at the city shelters
to finally have
a home of her own?

Can you picture the look
of wonder on her face
when she opens the door of
a brand new apartment
and says “This is mine”?

Can you imagine her
sleeping for the first time
in her own bed,
feeling really truly safe at last?

From Safe Shelter to Permanent Home

Florence House includes three types of housing:

Efficiency Apartments for individuals who are ready to manage independently.

A Safe Haven provides a permanent private living space for chronically homeless women who are not quite ready to maintain their own apartments and who may, with support, begin to develop trust, self-assurance, and skills to become more independent.

A small number of Emergency Beds for immediate, short-term housing for women who are temporarily homeless because of an economic or situational crisis.

Who Is Florence?

Florence House is named for Florence Young, a caring, dedicated social worker who believes in the value and worth of every single human being, regardless of circumstances and status.

Florence was a social work student at Preble Street, on the staff at Preble Street, and a Board member at Preble Street. She was a key contributor to the beginnings of the agency, working side by side with our founder, Joe Kreisler, whom Florence respected, admired and loved. Florence helped shape the organization, develop our philosophy, and start the hard and important work of implementing our mission.

Florence House is a tribute to Florence Young, her ideals, her spirit, and her love.